Drone flying is no longer a hobby. During the Drone Cup Finals in Tilburg, high school students not only show their flying skills, but also what you can do with drones.
Anyone who enters the De Drieburcht sports hall in Tilburg will immediately hear the buzzing sound of drones. You regularly have to duck when another one flies over low. Thirteen-year-old Milan from Goirle stands among all those flying planes. “It’s quite difficult. It’s basically practice, practice and practice.”
He participates in the final for best drone pilot and shows his skills. With his device he flies over, through and past all kinds of self-made objects, such as a mailbox and a Ferris wheel. Sem from Baarle-Nassau also came to Tilburg for the drones. “It takes some getting used to at first, but after that it’s manageable. He goes quite fast, so sometimes it’s difficult to keep him under control,” he says while he tries to keep the plane in the air with a controller.
It’s not just Sem and Milan who have been working with drones for weeks. Other students are also preparing for the Drone Cup Finals. In recent weeks they have been busy programming and designing drones. “They are immersed in the world of drones. Nowadays it is in the news every day. There are many possibilities for what you can do with it later,” explains Jordy van Loon of the organization.
Jelmer Poelsma shows what you can achieve with drones. He was one of the drone pilots during the speed skating at the Milan Winter Olympics. He did not fly on Tuesday, but his table attracts a lot of attention. He enthusiastically shows how he worked and which drones he used for this.
Flying with a drone is no longer new for Milan either. He has a drone at home and proudly shows off a photo he took himself. “It was 9 p.m. and a beautiful sunset with clouds. With a drone you can take beautiful videos and photos.”
At the same time, the use of drones also raises questions. In Ukraine, for example, they cause a lot of misery. According to Van Loon, it is important not to ignore this. “But we show the beautiful side of drones. There are so many possibilities. Think of window cleaners, for example. Nowadays there is a drone that can spray your windows. Or lifeguards. You can’t imagine anything so crazy.”
Milan has now prepared for its final by flying some test rounds. But does he also want to work with drones later? “I mainly want to keep it as a hobby, I think.”
Rash
After an exciting battle, Milan and Sem were left out of the prizes. Ralf from the CSG Prins Maurits from Middelharnis was crowned the best drone pilot.